1. Field
Example embodiments relate to an apparatus and method for controlling an interface, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for controlling a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional graphic user interface (2D/3D GUI).
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a natural interface technology has been on the rise. A natural interface enables more natural and intuitive communication between a person and a computer. Active research is underway to recognize a user's intention and motion and therefore achieve interactive communication between the person and the computer. In particular, an interactive display is being rapidly developed to provide a more natural computing environment than a keyboard and a mouse which are typical user interfaces (UI).
According to conventional interactive displays, a UI may be operated by multi-touch and hover performed on a surface of the display. Whereas the mouse and the keyboard provide an indirect interaction where a gaze and an operation space of the user do not correspond to each other, the multi-touch and hover enables a direct interaction where the gaze and the operation space correspond to each other, thereby achieving a more natural operation. However, the multi-touch method provides only a 2-dimensional (2D) interaction applicable only on a displaying surface. That is, when an operation object of the UI is 3D, the object may not be intuitively operated as though the user were manipulating an actual object. In case of the hover method, the object may not be operated immersively and unitedly only by information regarding the hand of the user.
Currently, a display apparatus providing 3D images is widely used. A person may perceive a 3D image by a stereoscopic method that inputs images to both left and right eyes and a motion parallax method that varies a distance of an object and a horizontal movement of left and right images according to a person's point of view. Demand for the 3D image are steadily increasing.
Accordingly, a 3D user interface (3D UI) providing a more immersive feel and sense of unity, and an improved apparatus and method for controlling the 3D UI is desired.